South Korea official says North Korea test-fired missiles

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South Korea official says North Korea test-fired missiles

The Associated Press Published Thursday, January 12, 2012 10:58PM EST

A North Korean soldier walks past a figure of a soldier on the river bank of the North Korean town of Sinuiju, opposite side of Chinese city of Dandong bordering with North Korea, on Friday, Dec. 30, 2011. (AP / Eugene Hoshiko)

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SEOUL, South Korea - A South Korean official says North Korea fired three short-range ballistic missiles earlier this week in an apparent routine test of its technology.

The Defence Ministry official said the North fired three KN-02 missiles into its eastern waters on Wednesday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, citing office policy. The missiles have a range of about 75 miles (120 kilometres).

Japan's Sankei Shimbun newspaper first reported the tests.

North Korea regularly conducts short-range missile tests. The latest come as North Korea tries to consolidate new leader Kim Jong Un's grip on power after his father Kim Jong Il's Dec. 17 death.

North Korea conducted a short-range missile test hours after it announced Kim's death on Dec. 19.